This invention relates generally to seed coating(s) and to a method to prepare compositions useful to coat a seed.
More particularly this invention relates to a seed coated with gellan gum, use of gellan gum as a seed coating, a method to prepare a gellan gum composition useful to coat a seed, a gellan gum composition useful to coat a seed(s), and to a method for coating a seed(s) with gellan gum. If desired one or more bioactives or colors may be employed with or in the seed coating of this invention.
The application of a material to a seed is practiced in the agricultural industry. Identification of seed type or age is often accomplished through the application of a suitable dye or pigment to the seed. Growth and vigor of seed can be enhanced by the addition of nutrients or growth enhancers to the seed. Sometimes such additions can be used to provide a more consistent size and shape to achieve better performance in planting equipment.
The current direction of the agricultural chemical industry is focused on more targeted methods for the delivery of biologically active products. In addition the ongoing genetic engineering revolution has resulted in much higher value conveyed to the seed. To both protect the seed value and identify the genetic traits of the seed, seed coating offers the best accepted method to resolve these issues.
Even with the foregoing and other seed coating compositions, the agriculture industry continues to desire an enhanced seed coating. A process of preparing such an enhanced seed coating economically and efficiently, continues to be of interest.
It is an objective of this invention to provide a seed coated with gellan gum and optionally with one or more colors or bioactives.
It is further objective of this invention to provide a process for using gellan gum as a seed coating.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a seed coating comprising gellan gum.
It is an additional objective of this invention to provide a process for preparing a gellan gum composition useful for coating seeds.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide a gellan gum composition useful to coat a seed.
It is yet another objective of this invention to provide a process for preparing a coated seed wherein the coating is selected from gellan gum, gellan gum and a color and gellan gum and optionally one or more bioactive(s) and optionally a color.
The above objectives and other objectives are met in this invention which is more particularly described hereinafter without limitation.
In one embodiment, this invention comprises a seed coating comprising gellan gum.
In another embodiment, this invention further comprises a seed coated with gellan gum.
In another embodiment this invention comprises a process for preparing a gellan gum composition useful for coating a seed, which comprises the steps of admixing gellan gum and water under effective shear conditions with and without heating and with or without an acceptable sequestrant to prepare an aqueous gellan gum coating composition thereof. If desired, a color and/or one or more bioactive(s) may be employed in a composition and process of this invention.
In another embodiment this invention further comprises preparing the aforementioned aqueous gellan gum coating composition and applying the same in an acceptable adherent fashion to a seed(s) whereby a gellan gum coated seed is formed.
Other embodiments of this invention are included herein. These above and other embodiments are described in more detail hereinafter.